Strike Fighters: Project 1 - PC - Review

The enemy is out there ­ somewhere.
Finding him is the easy part, staying with him could prove tough, especially
when the jet fighter you are flying turns like a semi on a go-kart track.

Strike Fighters Project 1, a PC release
from Third Wire and Strategy First, is the kind of combat flight simulation
that comes as close to the upper echelons of flight sims as the missiles
it fires. They sometimes miss the mark. So does this game.

Granted, the backdrop is very good, and
the game addresses an era that is seldom explored ­ the beginning of
modern jet fighter combat, the 1960s. The installation of the game itself
should forewarn game players about the difficulty they will face. You can
install the game at one of three levels: Easy ­ you don’t have to deal
with the physical characteristics of the planes you fly, and you have unlimited
ammunition and fuel; Normal ­ you can begin to feel the aircraft’s
strengths and weaknesses by the way it handles; and Hard ­ you will
feel everything and your electronics and weapons aren’t always reliable.

To its credit, this game does offer a solid
options package that should delight game players. The campaign scenario
(more on this in a moment) does have a random scenario generator that helps
with replayability.

As for the scenario, rather than pick a
real conflict, the game opts for a fictional one ­ the battle over
oil fields in a desert land. The two sides are the Dhimar (which have U.S.
weaponry) and the Paran (which has Soviet weaponry such as MiG 17s and
IL-28s). There are 14 different aircraft in this game ­ and they all
look good and fly well.

In addition to the campaign, there are
also quick action and single mission options available. However, even though
you can configure your video options for high terrain rendering, there
doesn’t seem much point. The ground elements are bland, which is in contrast
to the aircraft models. The game’s designers have taken great pains to
accurately render the aircraft, which are (after all) the focal point of
the program. Each aircraft also handles differently, which can give players
a different experience if opting for the single or quick game options.

But overall the controls on this game are
overbearing, and almost overwhelming. The hot keys reference card has 92
key combinations for a variety of commands. Some will automatically map
to a joystick, but unlike Microsoft’s Combat Flight Sim WWII Pacific Theater
title (another period game), not all elements work, and the game doesn’t
seem set up for force feedback.

The game’s sound is what one expects, from
the purr of your planes guns to the whoosh of a missile launching, and
the whine of jet engines cranked up.

While the game offers several difficulty
settings, the game really offers an all-or-nothing experience. The easy
setting is too easy and the hard setting is definitely challenging. Initially
you may spend more time battling the aircraft you are flying than engaged
in combat.

Strike Fighters is a game that, overall,
has a solid look, and is challenging, but when stacked up against other
flight sims of recent years, is only an average experience. Longbow 2 programmer
Tsuyoshi Kawahito (who was also involved in European Air War from MicroProse)
was the designer on this title. But while the overall concept is good,
nothing really jumps out and shouts for attention with this game, which
is unfortunate. What that translates to is that ardent combat flight sim
fans may want to pass on this title.

Gameplay: 7
The missions are seamless, although each
mission doesn’t end when the objective has been accomplished. You can wind
up flying around doing nothing for quite a while after scoring a mission
success rating.

Graphics: 7.2
The horizon has a painted look, and ground
textures, even on high, have the appearance of repeated patches inlaid
on the surface. Lens flare and aircraft models are well done. The effects
are solid, but offer nothing really new to the genre.

Sound: 6.8
The chatter on the radio is repetitious
and can get annoying. The jet and weapon sounds are expected and delivered
in an average manner.

Difficulty: Hard
The game has 92 separate keyboard commands
that cover game, view, flight, weapons, radar and visual targeting. Though
you can use a joystick (no force feedback was detected in a joystick specifically
designed to five a feel for the game), you will need to use both controllers
in combination to have a strong command over the game. This is at least
90 minutes of learning curve at the upper levels of difficulty.

Concept: 7.5
The game offers a great premise ­
which is the time frame. However, it bogs down in typical game play, and
control command overload.

Multiplayer: 7
Dogfight is the name of this game, either
1-on-1, or cooperative against either computer opponents or other players.
The problem here is that the fight can be fast and furious, leaving little
time for typing chat suggestions to those fighting with you.

Overall: 6.9
This game has a nice set-up but falls
just a little short. Unlike other premise combat flight sims (like Microsoft’s
Combat Flight Sim Pacific Theater), the program opts for average and routine
scenarios that will test players reflexes, but offers little that is new.